1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of containers and more particularly to a protective container for a film cartridge.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A typical container for a 35 mm film cartridge comprises an open cylindrical receptacle, commonly referred to as a "can", for storing the film cartridge, and a press-on cap which covers the opening to the can to provide a moisture-proof light seal. An example of such a container is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,386, granted Jan. 27, 1987. The can and the cap are usually molded from a plastic material, e.g., polyethylene, which is moisture proof, opaque, and chemically inert.
When a photographer wants to carry one or more of these containers, they are usually kept in his or her pocket or in a camera bag. Alternatively, a container has been proposed, such as disclosed in Ger. Gebrauchsmuster No. 75 30 563, published Jan. 22, 1976, which includes a clip member for securing the container to the shoulder strap of a camera bag. However, the clip member because of its design appears to be difficult to attach to and separate from the strap, and may be broken during the process.
Another problem with these containers is that they often do not include any surface upon which information pertaining to the contents of the container can be hand-written. As a solution, U.S. Pat. No. 2,852,054, granted Sept. 16, 1958, suggests that the press-on cap for a container include a dovetailed recess for receiving a snap-in insert label which may be written upon to indicate the contents of the container. However, once the label is inserted into the dovetailed recess it is not certain that the label can be readily removed from the recess, particularily without damaging the label.